Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction edited by Carrie Ryan

Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction by Carrie Ryan
Published by Ember
Published on 10 September 2013
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: my home library
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RRP: $10.99

Richelle Mead, Lisa McMann, Michael Grant, Meg Cabot, Laini Taylor, and nine more of the hottest YA authors to hit the shelves explore the concepts of prophecy and prediction in this story collection edited by NYT bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Carrie Ryan. 
Have you ever been tempted to look into the future? To challenge predictions? To question fate? It's human nature to wonder about life's twists and turns. But is the future already written—or do you have the power to alter it?
From fantastical prophecies to predictions of how the future will transpire, Foretold is a collection of stories about our universal fascination with life's unknowns and of what is yet to come as interpreted by 14 of young adult fiction's brightest stars.

This collection includes works from:
Malinda Lo (Ash)
Lisa McMann (Wake)
Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures)
Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures)
Laini Taylor (The Daughter of Smoke and Bone)
Michael Grant (Gone)
Saundra Mitchell (The Vespertine)
Richelle Mead (the Vampire Academy)
Matt de la Pena (I Will Save You)
Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries)
Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)
Diana Peterfreund (Rampant)
Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry)
Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth)

A great collection of interesting and diverse stories all (mostly) revolving around a theme of prophecy, or foretelling, or otherwise predicting the future.

I was completely gobsmacked to find two stories in particular had prophecies of their own: Michael Grant’s This is a Mortal Wound mentioned how interesting Hamilton was in 2012, three years before Lin-Manuel Miranda stormed Broadway with the ground-breaking and effervescent musical; and Death for the Deathless by Margaret Stohl predicted the 2019 burning of the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Gentlemen Send Phantoms by Laini Taylor was a real stand out. It was so original and adorable and whimsical. I also found The Chosen One by Saundra Mitchell such a great story: it was such a perfect little fantasy story about two sisters, one destined to be queen. I just loved it so much. It was a perfect little story, all wrapped up neatly with a bow. I would love to read a whole novel of just that story. The Killing Garden by Carrie Ryan was another one that I would read a whole novel about, I just loved it. Malinda Lo’s One True Love was absolutely spectacular.

Some of the stories that didn’t work so much for me include Burned Bright by Diana Peterfreund, The Mind is a Powerful Thing by Matt de la Pena, and Fate by Simone Elkeles – which I struggled to find how it fit the theme of prophecy.

I was initially worried about Homecoming by Richelle Mead, the final story in the collection. Since it’s a continuation of her Vampire Academy novels, with established characters I already know and love, I was concerned it might be alienating to non-VA readers. However I think even a non-VA reader will easily get into it and the worldbuilding. The writing is so easily digestible, the characters are bright sparks of personality, and the plot was interesting.

Overall, although it took me most of the year to read (my bad – I kept it by my bed and I tend not to read in bed anymore) this was a nice collection with only a few duds and worth the investment in time and money. It’s probably not worth it just for the one or two stories whose authors you may be a massive fangirl of, but try reading the rest: you might be surprised, as I was, that some of them are beautiful little gems.

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